21-Oct-2019
Bird feeder
This feeder is one of two maintained by the Fletcher Wildlife Garden/OFNC. This one is in the Backyard Garden and is the busiest one. It is maintained all year round while the one over in the old woods is seasonal, autumn through to early spring.
21-Oct-2019
Mourning doves
A couple of doves sitting quietly on the edge of the garden. In some winters we have seen more than 15 overwintering, but in recent years the numbers of doves seen at the garden is fairly small.
21-Oct-2019
The ravine
The ravine runs from the amphibian pond, past the Backyard Garden to the Arboretum where the small stream at its base empties into several water bodies in the Arboretum. This is a great spot of seeing birds and other wildlife. Over the years we have seen both fox and deer here, not to mention innumerable birds.
21-Oct-2019
Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)
Not many insects around now, but a few bumble bees, wasps and sweat bees, flies, as well as grasshoppers (by far the most numerous insects at the moment) and crickets.
21-Oct-2019
Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus)
The bird feeder mentioned earlier is well visited by squirrels including the eastern chipmunk. A large baffle makes it impossible for them to climb onto the feeder, but enough seed is spilled by visiting birds that they are kept happy and well-fed.
21-Oct-2019
Black-capped chickadee
One of many birds visiting the feeder in the Backyard Garden mentioned above.
21-Oct-2019
Old woods
Although a lot of leaves have fallen there is still much autumn colour to be found at the garden.
21-Oct-2019
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
Sumac leaves turning a stunning shade of vibrant red in the autumn, and also quite often, this vivid orange.
21-Oct-2019
Crabapples (Malus)
Some crabapple trees are laden with fruit while the fruit of others has been eaten. Some of the decorative or ornamental crabapples are bred to have fruit that does not appeal to birds so that it will stay on the trees providing colour all winter.
21-Oct-2019
Amphibian pond
Looking north across the pond. The big walnut tree on the left and scarlet sumacs on the right provide appealing autumn colour. The walnut tree which started off as a small sapling not so long ago in the great scheme of things, now towers over the pond. It has been a favourite haunt of red squirrels for a couple of decades.
21-Oct-2019
Amphibian pond
The big pond at the wildlife garden, this time looking west.
